Gospels - Central Baptist Church, Okinawa

Sun, 6th Sep 09 by admin

John 16:4-11

Sometimes we may wish that we were able to travel back in time to see Jesus and hear him teach. We think that we might be able to know more about him if we could just hear him speak to us in person. Yet, this passage assures us that we can understand him perfectly well right where we are. In fact, we are better off, since we live in the age ofthe Holy Spirit, which is better than the one before. During this age, the Holy Spirit is helping all Christians to understand Jesus properly, and is using them to do great works.

Though Jesus is going away, the disciples will continue his work inthe power of the Holy Spirit during this age. The light of the world will shine through them, exposing the deeds of darkness that people do (Ephesians 5:11). The result is that some people will be convicted of theirsin and be driven to repentance, though others will merely hate the light.

Tue, 1st Sep 09 by admin

John 15:18-27

Some people believe that they can love Jesus and avoid persecution,
but Jesus tells us that this is not the case. If you live like Jesus
wants you to live, the world will surely hate you. There is no way
around it.

We can find the origin of this hatred in Genesis. In the book of
Genesis, we find that there are fundamentally two kinds of people:
those that love God and those that hate him. People who hate God have
always hated the people that love God. This was true in Genesis, and
will remain true throughout the ages.

When people hate God, they express that hatred by persecuting those
who love God. This hatred burned against the prophets, and it is the
same hatred that resulted in Jesus’ crucifixion. It is the same
hatred that is poured out on Jesus’ messengers today, and you can
expect to face this hatred if you live a righteous life in Christ
Jesus.

Nonetheless, as we are being persecuted, we know that the Holy Spirit
is with us. He comforts us and uses us to be witnesses of Christ to a
dark world.

Sun, 30th Aug 09 by admin

John 15:8-17

Last week, we saw that Jesus used the image of a vine and its branches
to illustrate the relationship that exists between him and his
followers, and we saw that this life-giving union between vine and
branch would surely result in fruit being produced in the life of the
believer. In these verses, we will see some of the fruit that will
result.

Because of their relationship with Christ, believers will have love,
joy, obedience, and will bear witness to others. The love that God the
Father has for the Son is infinite and eternal, and it is this same
sort of love that Jesus has for all of his followers. As believers
remain in Christ’s love for them, they will surely love each other
with the same sort of devotion. This love will be self-giving, and
not self-seeking. The joy that comes from Christ is one that endures
even in difficult circumstances, and comes from being accepted by God.
Furthermore, Christians will desire to obey Christ. This obedience
is not the simple obedience of a slave, but the joyful obedience of a
son who knows that his Father loves him and desires the best for him.
Christians will also desire to make the glory of Christ known in the
world by telling others what he has done.

Sun, 12th Jul 09 by admin

John 14:18-24

The disciples were upset because the one that had taught them
everything they knew about God was leaving them. It seemed as though
Jesus did not have the power to beat death, it seemed as though he
would not be able to keep his promises.

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he promised them that he would
indeed return, he would be raised from the dead. And what is more,
they would all be raised from the dead on the last day just as he had
been raised. They would even experience some of the benefits of his
resurrection during their own lives. Jesus’ resurrection changed the
path of history, such that his followers would change the world.

Jesus’ resurrection provided the foundation for their knowledge of God
as well. It would solidify all of the claims that he made about
himself throughout his lifetime, and it would ensure that he would
continue to reveal himself to his people.

Even though he would soon be gone, his resurrection assured that he
would always be inside his people. They would become the temples of
the Most High, the place where God is found.

John 16:4-11

John 15:18-27

John 15:8-17

John 14:18-24

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